Iketeru Hearts Interview: Making "Iketeru" A Universal Word

(Top left, clockwise) Iketeru Hearts members Yuyu Arata, Kotone Uchida, Rie Tachibana, Karin Ochi, Yuno Yurano, Nijika, Kazune Manami (Not in picture: Madoka Usami)

Their ambition is to make the Japanese word "iketeru (cool)" a term as well-known as "kawaii (cute)" and be a bridge connecting Japan and the world.

Idol group Iketeru Hearts were in Singapore last month for the recent Anime Festival Asia (AFA) Japanese pop culture convention. It was their second year in a row attending the event, having placed first in a contest organised by idol-supporting app CHEERZ for the second consecutive year.

From Stand-Up! Hearts to Iketeru Hearts: One Last Stage in Singapore

Idol group Iketeru Hearts (formerly Stand-Up! Hearts) performing on the second day of AFA 2015

Over three days, they had fun with, bantered with and no doubt, put a smile on the faces of the many who had dropped by their booth, their curiosity piqued by the eight vivacious girls who would cheerfully invite them to take a picture or two together.

Often performing alongside many other groups at idol events in Japan, they had the audience's undivided attention showered on them for the first time, with supporters turning up in droves to spur them on at their daily stage performances.

They were only idol trainees, yet to make their professional debut but it didn't matter. The crowd couldn't care less. To them, "Stand-Up! Hearts" was what they were there for, what made them happy the most.

Tohoku Kyodo Ryori & Sake is so Good! Unique Flavours from Japan's North-East!

Eugene Chua writes

 

Featuring Kyodo Ryori (郷土料理) or traditional local cuisine, from the Tohoku region, in particular, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures

11 March 2011 - A great magnitude-9.0 earthquake struck the Pacific Coast of Tohoku, Japan. The largest earthquake to have ever hit the island nation, it triggered a massive tsunami which brought great devastation upon the region, wrecking properties, taking lives, and sparking several nuclear accidents.

Five years have passed since the incident and the people are slowly recovering.

Singapore Fans Welcome Eir Aoi Home with Intimate Concert

Ardent fans staged a warm homecoming for Eir Aoi earlier last month as she returned to Singapore for her "ROCK THE WORLD" 2015 world tour concert after more than a year's absence.

The show was very much theirs as it was hers, with the vivacious crowd heavily responsible for igniting the atmosphere. Armed with glowing lightsticks, they illuminated The Coliseum at Resorts World Sentosa in a sea of blue, the Japanese singer's characteristic colour throughout the one hour and forty minutes.

[Video] Highlights from Moshi Moshi Nippon Festival 2015 in Singapore

Attracting more than 7,500 visitors over two days, Moshi Moshi Nippon Festival 2015 in Singapore was held at *SCAPE Playspace on 5 and 6 Sept. Aimed at promoting Japanese pop culture to the masses, the festival featured a diverse selection of booths showcasing Japanese cuisine, music and products.

Japanese Pop Culture Invades Singapore! Top 10 Moments from the First Moshi Moshi Nippon Festival

It has been a month since the first Moshi Moshi Nippon Festival, aimed at introducing Japanese pop culture to the masses, was held in Singapore. Many renowned Japanese personalities including model-singer Anna Yano, DJ twins AMIAYA and idol unit BPM15Q were invited to the outdoor festival, which was held in the heart of the city and attracted over 7,500 visitors over its two days.

STGCC 2015: Rekindling the Comic Book Fan in Us

STGCC rekindled the comic book fan in us

STGCC 2015 was dearly special to us for one reason. It rekindled the comic book fan in us. Before our interests became aligned more towards Japanese pop culture, we were huge followers of American pop culture. We used to collect American comics, watched American dramas and kept ourselves up-to-date on the latest Hollywood movies (which we still do).

第25回星蘭祭 Seiransai 2015 @ Waseda Shibuya: Back for Seconds!

It was that time of the year again. The time when the only Japanese senior high school in Singapore would open its doors to the public. Students holding placards and handing out flyers would greet you warmly as you stepped into the school. Colourful decorations adorned the classrooms, transforming the school into a vibrant playground for two days.

EOY Cosplay Festival 2015: Convivial and Enjoyable as Always

Cosplayers, stage performers, doujin artists, Japanese culture lovers and even the foreign guests were all about the place, roaming around freely, each one creating their very own special memories, able to interact uninhibitedly.

LiSA LiVE is Smile Always ~Singapore~: An Unforgettable Concert (Report)

LiSA - LiVE is Smile Always ~Singapore~ concert on Sat, July 18 2015

After entering the theatre around 6pm, we waited and waited and there was still no sight of LiSA at 6.30pm. Finally, twenty minutes later, at 6.50pm, LiSA and her band strode onto stage and the entire hall erupted in applause and cheers. She was dressed in a getup similar to the one she wore for her “LiVE is Smile Always - PiNK & BLACK” concert in Nippon Budokan last year, albeit without the donut-embellished costume.

LiSA in Singapore 2015 Part 2: Airport Welcome

A huge crowd of ardent supporters awaited LiSA at the airport

Previously, each of us shared about how we all first heard of LiSA. We asked some fans in the LiSA Singapore Fan Club about their own experiences and we found out that most of them got to know her through the anime Angel Beats too, similar to us. In this edition, we take a look at how her fans welcomed her the day before her concert after arriving at Changi Airport.

LiSA in Singapore 2015 Part 1: The Beginning

Japanese pop-rock singer LiSA singing "Home", one of Singapore's National Day songs

Declaring that Singapore was her second home, LiSA performed one of the city-state's most beloved National Day songs to the amazement of the audience. It came as little surprise that she regarded the little island as her home though. Singapore was after all, a launchpad of sorts for her burgeoning career, when she was just a newcomer to the anisong scene but invited to perform here at Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2011 four years ago. She has performed at the convention annually ever since.

Fans Take Selfies & Chat with Cosplayers at ICEXPO 2015

"Can we take a photo together?" a fan asks Luffy. The Hong Kong cosplayer happily obliges and strikes a cute pose in her cosplay of Kousaka Honoka, leader of school idol unit Muse from the anime Love Live. "I'm so happy to meet you!" the fan exclaims. "I really admire your cosplays." Luffy flashes a smile and thanks the fan for his compliment before extending a handshake to the surprised fan, much to his delight.

5 Factors that made CharaExpo so Special

Artistes roaming freely in the halls, wrestling matches taking place alongside live performances and many Japanese exhibitors here for the first time- what's not to love about the carnival atmosphere at CharaExpo?

SCANDAL 「HELLO WORLD」 in Singapore, 21st Single To Be Announced Soon

This is a MEGA concert report brought to you by XDantheManX Online in collaboration with Nakitty Channel. Many thanks to SOZO for the media invite and of course, SCANDAL for the unforgettable night!

Japanese pop-rock girl band SCANDAL スキャンダル returned to the shores of sunny Singapore for a one-night concert at The Coliseum as a stop on their jam-packed 「HELLO WORLD」 World Tour 2015 ヘローワールドワールドツアー. The girls are no stranger to the country, having performed thrice in the past- including at AFA X's I Love Anisong アニソン大好き concert and their last solo concert, ENCORE SHOW アンコールショー two years back. Unlike their previous lives, there was little promotion for their latest show and a press conference was not organised this time around.

LANTIS FESTIVAL SINGAPORE 2015: The BEST J-POP Concert Experience in Singapore

I don't really blog much, if you notice the frequency of updates of my blog. If I blog, it must mean that it is something extraordinary to be worth blogging about. ランティス祭りシンガポール Lantis Matsuri in Singapore was really incredible and amazing! A superb and rocking line-up of singers, impeccable organisation by Amuse, an ideal and appropriate venue and flawless execution.

第24回星蘭祭 Seiransai 2014 @ Waseda Shibuya Senior High

Yesterday, I attended my first Japanese school festival at Waseda Shibuya Senior High School Singapore with my friends Jia Wei and Xi Hua! The students were friendly and polite, the cafeteria food was delicious, the decorations were impressive, and the games and performances were enjoyable! It was the 24th Seiransai 星蘭祭 organised by Waseda Shibuya Senior High School Singapore. Feels good to be back in school! ＼（＾▽＾）／

The facade which greets you as you enter the school! This year''s theme is "Four Seasons 春秋夏冬"! It has a very traditional festival-like feel to it!

STGCC 2013: Best of Both Worlds

The Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention was held over the weekend of 31 August and 1 September 2013, combining the best of both Eastern and Western pop culture. Renowned personalities from polar opposites of the globe including Joe Madueira and Adi Granov from the West, along with redjuice and Hideo Baba from the East were invited to grace the event. Guest cosplayers Vampy Bit Me from Los Angeles and Aza Miyuko from South Korea were flown in to interact with the visitors. Top DJs DJ'TEKINA//SOMETHING (Yuyoyuppe) and Livetune (kz) from Japan were also here to spin specially-prepared sets for the convention's DJ Night. All in all, it was a wonderful two days of cosplay and pop culture, packed with interesting panels, tons of merchandise and an expected record attendance of over 38000.

It was XDantheManX's first time attending the convention since its inaugural edition in 2008 and